There is a conventionally known internal combustion engine with a fuel reforming apparatus as disclosed, for instance, in Patent Document 1 (JP-A-2007-113421). Such a prior art fuel reforming apparatus includes a fuel reforming catalyst that generates a hydrogen-containing combustible gas by reforming a gas containing a reforming fuel and oxygen.
While the fuel reforming catalyst is active, it can generate a combustible gas that contains hydrogen and carbon monoxide. However, while it is inactive, it cannot generate a combustible gas having a sufficiently high concentration. Therefore, the prior art fuel reforming apparatus is configured so that a hydrogen or carbon monoxide concentration sensor is positioned downstream of the fuel reforming catalyst. Further, when the result of detection by the concentration sensor indicates that a combustible gas having a sufficiently high concentration is generated, the prior art fuel reforming apparatus supplies the combustible gas to an intake path of the internal combustion engine.
Including the above-mentioned document, the applicant is aware of the following document as a related art of the present invention.    [Patent Document 1] JP-A-2007-113421